The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-16

of the army and navy of the United
States, free to come and 60 wherever
the jurisdiction of this, our national
government extends. He may visit
any fort or ship where the national
flag will be raised to manifest respect
to him and his office, and should
a foreign ship fail to do him
fullC! hOnors, none will be so
quick to resent an insult as
the members of the Grand
Army of the Republic, who periled life
and limb to make that flag respected
at home and abroad. The idea of his
being insulted, much less endangered.
should he be on the stand alongside
our commander-in-chief, General Fair
child, when the Grand Army is pass
ing IN review, seems to me mOnstrous.
L think L know the Iowa boys too well
to believe such a thing possible.
Brave men are never ungenerOus, and
the Iowa soldiers were brave men. l
know it, of knowledge acquired in bat
tie, and l will pledge my life that no
Iowa soldier will do so unmanly an act,
should Mr.. Cleveland accept the invita-
ton, and l hope he will, to attend the
parade of the Grand Army of the Re
public at st. Louis on the 25th of Sep
TENDER next. 1 will stand by his side
or march past in the ranks of Ransom
post, as may be ordered by Gen. Fair
child. l notice with pain that the
Presidents action in certain pension
| bills enters into this unhappy contrO-
versy. There were many private bills
and one of general nature which the
President vetoed. The constitution of
the United States compelS the Presi-
dent to approve or veto each separate
bill as it reaches him from Congress.
If approved, it becomes law; if We
toed, it requires an increased majority
of Congress to pass it, but the Presi-
dent can only account for his judg-
ment by his own conception of duty
and to his God. We, as soldiers, must
submit to it, because it is the law. l
do not believe this government can
ever be too charitable to the old
soldiers wounded or in distress by age
and infirmity, and had l been near Mr..
| Cleveland would not have ventured
to advise him on the general bill, but
as to the private cases 1 would have
said: Charity enters largely into all
pensions, and when any special bills
have passed the ordeal of the commit
tees of the House and Senate, approve
them; but on the general bill exercise
your full constitutional power"
Honest men differ widely on this
question of pensions to our old and
feeble comrades. We all mean to do
what is right, but differ to the means.
All we know after twenty odd years
| after the civil war, the government of
the United States under Republican
and Democratic rule pays out to our
old soldiers of the Union army about
$50, O00, 600 per year, and few thOus-
and to the Mexican war veterans, re-
gardless of locality, and not one cent
to the rebels of the South whom we
| fought in the civil war. We old sol
| diers of the civil war have not yet just
| cause to make an issue on the question
of pensions to our infirm and wounded
comrades. l advise you to go right
along, prepare the way for the Grand
Army Of the Republic at its session Of
Wednesday, September rs, at st.
Louis, and receive them as they de-
serve-aS guests; also the President of
the United States, with such other
hOnored guests as may grace the Occas-
ion. If any of our comrades feel hurt
at the association they can remain at
home, but the sun will rise each morn
ing, the seasons will follow each other
in quick succession, and the world,
with its myriads of people, will goright
along just the same. Let us do right
as near as we know how, and trust the
future to the boys who look on us old
veterans as prOdigies, or as old fOgies,
lingering superfluent on the stage of ]
life. l believe l know you both per-
fectly well, and that you will sacrifice |
life rather than honor. Therefore. |
whatever you do l will stand by YOU |
The same as to Rainwater, Kennard,
Cobb and Jerome Hill, who took the
wrong shoot in 1861, but who are now
with us in heart and act for the ''union,
one and inseparable, now and forever"
Instead of the Grand Army of the Re
public meeting only in the loyal states
of 1861 and 1865, am in favor of their
meeting hereafter at Washington,
Chattanooga and Atlanta, following
the example of our army who fought
for the Union. l am always your
friend, W. T. SHERMAN,
John and William write and talk
quite different. John would have .
made a splendid sutler, or a drum
major in the state militia, to lead an |